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Rain Gauge

Measuring, recording and charting daily, weekly or monthly rainfall is a fun winter experiment. In this winter experiment, you'll make your own rain gauge, and learn how to chart your results.

How to Make a Rain Gauge

What You'll Need:

JarRulerPermanent markerChart paperPencil

Compare your measurements to those recorded in the newspaper!

Use a cylinder-shaped jar or a square container with straight sides for your gauge. (You can also use several containers of different sizes to test if the results will be the same in different places in your yard.)

Measure and mark inch and half-inch marks on the side of the jar or container, measuring from the bottom up. Place the gauge outside in an open area.

Check the rainfall in each 24-hour period. You can use separate gauges for daily, weekly, and monthly recordings.

Empty the daily gauge after each recording, and set it back outside to measure the next day's rainfall. Chart your results.

Check out the next page to learn how to measure the wind-chill factor.

Up Next

The Wind-Chill Factor

Cold weather feels even colder when it's windy. Professional weather forecasters call this the "wind-chill factor." Find out how it works in this winter experiment.

The Wind-Chill Factor Experiment

Wind chill tells you how cold it is outside.

What You'll Need:

ThermometerWind-speed gauge

Your body is normally surrounded by a thin layer of warm air, and it protects you. The wind, however, actually blows away that layer of warm air. So, you feel much colder on windy days.

Using a thermometer, measure the temperature. Then calculate the speed of the wind with the wind-speed gauge. Combine the numbers on the chart below to determine the wind-chill factor. Use the wind-chill factor to help you dress for the weather. Bundle up for how cold it feels, not how cold it is!

Find the place on the chart where the wind speed and the temperature meet. That's the wind-chill factor. Example: If the wind speed is 10 mph and the temperature is 25 degrees, the wind-chill factor is 10 degrees.

Wind Speed, mph

Temperature, Fahrenheit

0

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

5

27

22

16

11

6

0

-5

10

16

10

3

-3

-9

-15

-22

15

9

2

-5

-11

-18

-25

-31

20

4

-3

-10

-17

-24

-31

-39

25

1

-7

-15

-22

-29

-36

-44

30

-2

-11

-18

-27

-33

-43

-49

On the next page, find out how to measure hail using a few simple steps.